The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
Cowboys Let's go.
Are you ready for a break?
Yes?
Are you ready for a break?
Absolutely?
Ready for a break?
Yeah, and so much for that.
It's time for the Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com.
We were on with Mbar Garcia.
Brian brought us, Nick Harris and Derek Eagleton.
It is Wednesday, October ninth, twenty twenty four, Season twenty, episode number forty five. Welcome to the latest edition Oh the Break. We're live from thats WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star, presented by lglg's the world's number one oh led TV brand for eleven years in counting. See why at at LG dot Com, Forward slash o, led Evo.
How's everybody doing it?
Doing well?
Doing well? Back in the building.
Sorry guys, to have you back.
Yeah, last couple days have been a little bit of a hustle and bustle, but back in the building.
But we held it down.
Brian had some good questions for us yesterday, so we had a good discussion yesterday. Maybe some of those topics come up today. We'll get your opinions on them. Let's start first, though, with some injury updates. Obviously, the Cowboys roster is a mass unit and uh and they're just kind of managing right now.
Let's start first with Marshaw Neelan.
Obviously, after being injured in the game, the expectation is he's gonna miss some weeks. They did actually sign and got to the practice squad last week. kJ Henry Brian, I don't.
I don't think signed to active ross, active active roster.
Sorry, I don't think we got a scouter report on him last week.
We'll see what I could do for you to give me a little scouter report. Let me let me see if I could do that for you. All right, sent day g ag, you.
Want to do it?
Got that scouting report to pull it up? I got it right here, watch me, watch me do this.
Just trying to buy time with me, trying to buy some time.
Yeah, I just wanted to make sure I had it because I got all these scouting reports in my head.
The consummate radio guy knows you can't have dead air, so he's like, can.
You okay, kJ Henry, this he's he was on the Cincinni practice squad and I watched him on the Commanders. He was a fifth round pick by the Commanders in the twenty twenty three NFL Draft, and he's.
Got really good link.
I like the way that he could play off blocks because of the link. I think that helped him. I saw some redirect skills in him. I didn't see a guy that was just up the field and then you know, and then got stuck. Like he was able to kind of come back and make some play. They played him as a stand up guy at times, so stand up, hand down both with the with that the read option
stuff I thought was pretty good. They got a game against Carolina preseason game where they had to were kind of doing some of that read option stuff, and he looked like he was playing with some pretty good discipline and not to get fooled on that. The good patience balance good with his inside moves. I thought he closed down quickly on the plays that went away from him and squeezed the hole pretty well. Movement from the.
Backside is really good.
Good can gain some ground with that first step and finds his way to the corner, can capture. But I think he needed to be more consistent doing that. I kind of felt like that he got there, but he couldn't exactly get around it with any kind of real
consistency there. So I'm really pressed with the way he was able to kind of control blockers and how he extends on blockers, and so I felt like that there's gonna be some depth with the current group that you got surprised he wasn't active the other day, and I guess he just wasn't ready to play. Maybe he didn't know what was going on. But I saw him as a positive player. You know, when you start to poach guys.
He was a guy my Gang of seven if you're new to the show, My Gang of seven, or my guys and gals around the league, the general managers and player personnel, guys that do the film every weekend. I asked him for three names of guys to go poach, and he was the top name on four.
Of the seven. Okay that they said that.
My guy said, hey, if you're gonna go poach an Edge kJ Henry from Cincinnati was for the seven had him as the top guy.
So here we go. In your opinion, why was he relegated to a practice squad in Cincinnati this year?
You know it's I don't know, it's Cincinnati and Cincinnati struggling with her defense too. You know, maybe the maybe the thing that bought that that teams are that we're looking at of him, it's the probably the pass.
Rush stuff's because he's just.
Not I didn't see a guy that was that. We always talk about the Bendi being able to kind of get to the and then find his way to the quarterback. That was a little bit of a struggle for him, Like he he kind of gets there, but it just doesn't have that ability to capture that then go. And I kind of felt like maybe that's where people are kind of knocking him a little bit on his Did.
You remember him? Do you remember him coming out of college?
Not?
Actually really? Yeah, this is a new name whenever he popped up last week.
Yeah, okay, well he was, uh, Like I say, I was. I was impressed with the ability, some of the athletic ability that he showed, But the pass rush stuff, I think that it's gonna take a little time there maybe.
But you know, honestly, if you tell me he's a better run defender than he is a pass rusher, I'm comfortable with that in the short term. Knowing that you got to have to make just kind of make things go right now. And the worst thing you can do is get somebody who can't stop the run, yeah, because they already got problems there. So I look at it and that, to me, that would be a win.
He at least shows how to play the run. Well, that's the thing.
And the opportunities he got, you know, so that the discipline I think when you when you the one thing to Dallas has kind of struggled with a little bit. And boy, it'll be a different type of running game this week that we're going to talk about here in a few minutes. But but but still, yeah, you know, as far as the depth piece and stuff like that, the right size, the length. You know, I'm hey, you know what if for my seven guys and gals say, no, man,
take a look at this guy. I mean, he's a guy that we would go get and I would I trust that Dallas did the right thing here, you know, instead of just signing somebody off the street that they're gonna have. This guy's been practicing, he's been playing, he's been in a training camp. You know, all those things are kind of positives going forward.
One other name Cowboys look like they're expected to sign a new defensive end to their practice squad.
Luigi Villain. Is that how you pronounce it? Is Luigi or Luigi Luigi?
I hope it's Luigi Villain, but I think it's Vilaine.
And actually Villain is so much better.
Right, I was like, this is a perfect wrestling name, right, Yeah, Oligi Villain, like the perfect Nino sixty four.
Now I don't know anything about Luigi. Yeah, I don't know anything about Luigi because I was working on the Lions.
Well, we'll figure that figure out.
But he's on the they're signing to practic QA likely is he will probably wouldn't be up this week anyway, catch right, Probably the guy that's gonna.
We don't study the practice squad d But when about that, I think it's the active call we'll study.
But the point is they're doing more, They're getting more bodies, and I think that's really the key to this is that they're going to need bodies to be able to sustain them.
I think the point you made yesterday because I tried to convince you to go trade for a defensive end and you weren't biten. His reason for not trading, I asked him, and I'll ask you this question, though, do you think this do you think this front off is now it's imperative that they go and trade for a legitimate defensive end.
The thing is, if you go and you trade for a legitimate defensive end, I almost said a name that would have been back. I got to get back in the framework if they went and traded for a legitimate defensive end that is potentially on the market. You're getting him for three four games in an increased role, right, and he's expected to come in and play those three four games as your guy. He's going to be great.
But then once Michael Parsons comes back to Marcus Lawrence comes back, Marshaw k Neelan comes back, Sam Williams comes back next year, what do you do with this guy?
Well, see, this is the thing about it is you're thinking about six games for kneel in six games for Tank, so you.
Know, definitely, yeah, you need some help. Yeah, but is there enough confidence from you for what Chauncey Golson and Tires Wheat and Carl Lawson did on Sunday against Oh.
No, it helped my soul that they played well.
But see But when we talked about when we talked about the playing against the Steelers, remember it was kind of like, well, they've got some issues that they've got some issues that tackle, and you're about to play a team this might be the best offensive line you play against all year.
You'll find out this might be the best one.
Better than better than when they're fully healthy.
I think so, Yeah, I think so too.
Yeah, it depending on what happens with Frank ragnow the center, you know what.
His situation is.
But yeah, there, this is this is going to be a legitimate that this is going to be hang on to your you know what, because it's this is going to be tough. They're gonna have to.
So we'll see. We'll see.
With Wheat and Golston and those guys, it's how they play against. I felt like that they matched up well enough against the Steelers, But who matches up well against these guys. I mean, obviously the Buccaneers went to Detroit and beat them, but everybody else, I mean, Seattle in these games. I'm watching the Arizona game and just you know, it's pretty tough up front.
So you guys talk about the players that are expected to come back to injured guys, and I love how everyone is just we're expecting them to return. It'd be great, be good, like and this I'm not trying to be negative. Maybe it's just the anxious person. No, it's the anxious person in me that I'm always dealing with anxiety and I'm always thinking worst case scenario and I dealing with all that. But it's like, we know that when players return hurt it takes them a while.
I don't know that that. I don't know that I agree with that.
When you're talking about a player returning in season and a veteran player like say Micah or Tank. Yes, for Sam Williams, that would be concerned after he miss is an entire year and then comes back after that year and returns coming off an injury, this should be concerned about, like how long is it going to take him to ramp up to getting.
Back to what he was?
But I don't know if that's necessarily the case when you're talking about veteran guys that miss a few weeks, like they've gone through training camp, they played a few games, they get hurt, they're out for a few weeks, and then they come back.
I don't know that.
I necessarily think it's going to take ramp up time for them to get back to playing as they were playing before.
Oh no, I do think so with certain players. I mean, not everyone's turn Smith that can get hurt and then when he comes back, he's playing at a high level. And I hope I'm wrong you're saying that. But it's just something to keep in mind that even when they were healthy, they weren't playing at such an amazing level yet.
So that's another I think.
About just the defense in general, overall unit everyone put together. That's another thing that it was also a problem. Man.
You just thinking about Pollard and Steel and there has been a history up until late.
I mean if you think about the guys.
Out for longer periods of time though, is what I'm saying though.
Right, Oh no, I mean for the year, That's what I'm saying. That's what. Yeah, I see where.
You're expected to return a law sooner because you're in season, so you're you're doing what you can. So I don't know.
I mean, I'm again, it's anxiety just like type of situation.
What the problem is now is when we looked at the schedule in May, when it came out and you're like, you play the win loss game and you're thinking, oh, Atlanta, Commanders. I saw a stat the other day, Dallas is only a forty eight chance at best to win if win any of those games. I mean there's some they're like, you know, the Commanders, what you would say, Commanders, how.
Much are they going to win by?
That was the question, Atlanta, let's go, you know.
But now it's like this row of games coming up and you're going, damn, but they're gonna win any of them. But these players, that's what I'm saying, Yeah, you're gonna miss all these like you this week when we start to talk about the Lions and where you can attack, what are their tackles? Is who you need to go after and we'll get into that, But this is a game you would love to have had Micah just for the reason of they could He could break this guy down and I don't know if the others can't.
But that's that's the problem I'm running into right now.
I'm just don't feel like I feel like I'm kind of showing up at a fight and I don't have all the weapons.
Yeah, no doubt, but fight the battle to your point about the schedule and looking at the schedule, I think there's there's already been those moments too where you didn't think New Orleans when we saw the record, we were like they saw the schedule, we were like, Okay.
That's kind of where they are right now. Yeah. Yeah.
And then but then the flip side of that is Pittsburgh was probably better than what I thought they were when the schedule came out, and Cowboys going to win that one.
So the NFL is just a strange lady. You just never know what's going to happen, and you don't know it's too early.
In the year to know who's really good and who's really not, and and like where you're seeing things that really will matter as the as the season plays out.
I just I'm looking at the Commanders every week, and they had defense is thirty first in most categories, their offenses first or second, and everything else. It's very much a it's a it's a weird team. Is if you could deal with their offense, you got a chance. If you don't, they're probably gonna beat you. Yeah, it's just a weird, weird season.
The Yeah, I watched that that whole game last week because we were at the hotel waiting for our game. And yeah, they look really good, especially offensive.
Cleveland kind of can be a little bit of a trainer, but Cleftand's defense, You feel like Cleveland's defense is pretty good.
Yeah, that offense and that that Washington offense looks really good right now. And they got a number of guys all yeah, it's crazy the number of guys that can actually get you on any given play.
Well, Cliff Kingsbury, the OC there has learned how to run the ball. You finally figured out how to run the ball to go with all the craziness that he throws at you.
You have three running backs, so you can hand it off to.
It makes no doubt easier. Three good running bock knock. All right, we're gonna take our first break when we come back.
We're going to dive into the Lions offense versus the Cowboys defense. Will do that in just second styles Cowboys dot Com Radio.
Todd thought it would be secure to jog in the Cheatah Savannah. Todd believed the big Cat repellent he bought online was reliable, and now Todd is trying to be faster than this cheetah that can run eighty miles per hour. But the good news is Todd has at and T five G. It is fast, reliable, and secure, and he learned the best thing to do is stop running and toss her the backpack with the beef stew at and T five G. Fast, reliable, Secure.
Five G requires compatible plan and device five G may not be available in your area. See add dot com slash five G for you fifty deals.
It's the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys Jack Black, and right now Cowboys fans could get fifteen percent off their seventy five dollars order. Plus Because every deal needs a playmaker, your order will include a free five piece skincare set and free shipping. The Jack Black Playmaker is four of Jack's favorites and a full sized intense therapy whipball. Make a play for the playmaker at Getjack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP.
That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP.
Don't put off getting your oil change Dallas take five oil Change. A proud partner of the Cowboys is faster than you think. There's no appointment needed and no waiting room.
Yep, you hurt that correctly.
Take five is so fast you don't even have to get out of your car. You can take advantage of Take five's fast, friendly and simple service at any of their locations across the Dallas area. And remember, at Take five you stay in your car because they're faster than you think. Take five the official oil change of the Dallas Cowboys.
From the field to the festivities.
Lu Casey embodies the essence of luxury and tradition. Handcrafted with meticulous precision, each pair offers unmatched comfort and style. Stand tall while you're tailgating or cheering in the stands with the Dallas Cowboys Collection by Lucasey. Shop the collection today at the Lucasey store at the Star and Frisco, or online at lucasey dot com. Lucasey the official boot of the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
Hey y'all, Matt Pittman of Meat Church here. With football season kicking off, I'm already gear enough to bring the smoker back to AT and T Stadium for some epic tailgates.
But with that Texas heat it's.
Crucial to keep my beer handcramping cold. That's where Yeti's insulated colster can cooler comes in clutch this year. You can even get them with the iconic star engraved on the side. Licensed YETI Cowboys gear is now available at stadium pro shops, concessions and on yetti dot com. Check it out today. YETI Official cooler and drinkware of the Dallas Cowboys.
Back to the Break, LGO led evo is the best TV in the game, but don't take our word for digital trends said, the LG oled G four has the best picture quality they've ever seen. See for yourself at LG dot com slash old Evo Welcome Back.
It is the second segment of the Break with life from s WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star and the segment's brought to you by blockchain dot Com. All right, let's talk about this Detroit offense. I want to start at the part of this offense that I think can be most problematic. Like Pittsburgh, they run a lot. They are fourth in the league and rush attempts. Unlike Pittsburgh, they're very good at it. Now they're sixth in the
league at rushing yards. Give me a scatony report on David Montgomery and jamieer Gibbs.
Yeah, two of the better backs that you're going to face, and they they're really interchangeable. The great thing about them is that they it doesn't matter who is in the game.
They like to They're a team.
That run the ball from underneath center, so you know you'll see a lot of the you'll see Golf take the snap and he'll walk the ball to These backs play right directly behind like a like an I formation set up. And these backs both have tremendous patients. They will allow blocks to develop. And when you look at this offensive line in the way they block, it's pullers, it's trappers, it's pinners, it's there's a lot of movement going on and usually when you can and they'll play
with heavy personnel. And I'm saying this because of the backs, because of how patient they are, but you sometimes you'll find they'll have a move guy and he'll move and he'll take you right to where the ball's going. And then sometimes they'll have the guy move and he'll come back and block back, but the ball will still go to the front side. So they like to get a lot of blockers at the point of attack. Okay, to do all this, you have to have backs that are very patient.
In the way they run.
They're just not gonna fire it up in there and then get stopped for three yards. They're gonna let this thing develop a little bit. They're gonna cut it. They're gonna they're gonna they're gonna take it front side. They're gonna explode. They're very, very difficult to uh to deal with because of the running style is very similar. They're tough fronters. They find holes, they have good vision. You can toss it to them, you can hand it to
them inside, it doesn't matter. They're gonna make guys miss, usually make the first guy miss and then get and be problems for you on the second level.
That being said, it sounds like in order to be successful you have to have a defensive front that's smart and disciplined. How much is that a concern knowing that they have a lot of players that are again just getting accustomed to playing and with together as a unit.
Yeah, the bigger problem you run into. Dallas's losses this year have been with offensive lines that are able to get blockers up on them. This group right here, when you watch them block as a unit, they're not interested. They're much like what we saw with the Ravens and much like what we saw with the Saints. It's like they will take a step, they will shove a guy and then go. They're not interested in staying on sustaining. It's like they're good enough that they trust rag now
Zeitler Uh Penny Seel. They trust that those guys will one on one be able to block. So when they combo block, it's not like stay on, secure the down guy and then get second level. Dallas has played well against teams that can't get blockers up on them. This is going to be a challenge this week because you're going to get They're going to shove Mazzy Smith to the next guy and then they're gonna go. They're not gonna even try, and you know it's like, hey, you're good enough.
Take him, I'm going up.
That's how these guys block, and that that's why their running game is so good, because they're able to handle those one on one blocks and then get it up to the second level. So these linebackers for the Cowboys are gonna be fighting it all day with guys in their face. It's it's going to be it's going to be really, really a tough matchup.
I saw some interesting next gen stats on golf and said, he attempted deep passes and that will be twenty plus air yards just five point six.
They don't the attempts. They don't do it the.
League and six the seven of those passes went to Jamison Williams, who will talk about in a second only two completions out of that. My question is, how do you disrupt golf? Like he obviously still has the ability to get the ball out, He's got good receivers. They still are moving the ball through the air. How do you disrupt what they do in their passing game knowing that again they're not really too worried about trying to go deep on you.
No, and that's why it's hard to disrupt him because the line is good as pass protectors. Where they do struggle a little bit though, is with the is with the blitz pick up stuff. Well, like Gibbs, you know, when you look at pressures, where where I think you need to attack if and this is where if Micah was available or even tank, but someone's got to figure out a way to get after Taylor Decker at the left tackle. He's the one that allows the most pressures.
He's the one that can you could break down Penny Sewel on the other side.
He's really really good on the on that right side there.
So if they have a problem in a couple of spots, Decker at left tackle, if Ram Glass now plays center instead of Frank Ragnow. These are funny names with the ow last name endings, but if Ragnow doesn't play, that puts Glass now at center.
Now he struggles more at center than he.
Does at guard. That's where this is where the disruption is going to have to happen. Because this team loves to throw the ball in the middle of the field. There's I'VE i've When you watch these routes, you watch Williams, Saint Brown, Raymond Robinson, Patrick, all these all these routes are coming to the middle of the field. That's what they want to do. Nobody throws more routes to the middle of the field, in breaking routes, crossing routes than
these guys. So that's the that's the the idea is, though, You've got to get people to him quick because he is going to he's going to find that crosser, whether it's a shallow crosser or somebody in the intermediate range. It's funny to watch him play. You're right, they don't throw the ball on the field at all. I mean you don't see anything going deep at all, which is surprising. You know, Dallas is kind of giving up some deep balls.
Maybe they'll try it just with you know what you mentioned with Williams just running vertical, but they just don't run vertical routes. Everything is inbreaking. Everything is where where the ball can get out quick. And you know that's that's the issue they're they're they're not going to let this quarterback get hit. But when they do let him get hit, it's Sheerley Taylor Decker on the left side,
he's the one that gives up pressures and sacks. And then also too, it's Graham Glass now, the center who's playing backup for Frank Ragnow. Now if Glass now has to play guard, he will play left guard. If if Ragnow plays this week, so then that will be the next pressure point, the left side, left tackle and the left guard.
We're starting to hear the possibilities that de Ron Bland might return in some capacity.
To twenty five plays. I heard.
Yeah, so if he's back, and hope maybe that you get Carson back as well. Talk to me about how they can against these guys, particularly Saint Brown and Williams. I think those are the two guys you worry the most about. We'll get to Sam Laporta in a second at the tight end position, but as the receivers, those are two I think you worry about the most. How does Dallas matchup?
Got thoughts on that one?
Yeah, I think here with with Jamis and Williams specifically, he's starting to really unload his back and in this season, I think he's finally starting to find his footing dealt with the suspension, kind of bounce back from that, and I think he's comfortable with the offense. Now you pair him with am and Ross Saint Brown, who in my opinion, is one of the better route runners in the entire league,
then you have a guy who could stretch the field. Now, again they haven't been doing that, but he is a guy that can and.
He has one touchdown on a deep ball this year.
Yeah, you definitely got to keep him honest, But with Jamison Williams. He's got a little bit of physicality off the line that I think could disrupt either Bland or Carson. Considering that they're both dealing with or not dealing with, but coming back from injuries, I think that physicality could lead to a couple of issues if either of those guys were to match up. I personally like Bland on am and Ra a little bit better and digs On
Williams a little bit better. I think that would be the favorable matchup for the Cowboys if they were to line up against these guys on any given play. But I do wonder if they're trotting Bland out in this limited role, you say, twenty five plays, Brian, then can those two guys build consistency as the game goes on. Is it a situation where they throw Bland out until he hits twenty five snaps or do they rotate Carson and Bland in. I think that's probably what the solution
will be. And if that's the case, then how can these guys build a rhythm against a really talented receiver in Jamison Williams. Because what Jamison Williams is going to do is he's going to pick up every single tendency that each of those two guys have, and as they come off the field and then come back on, He's going to attack them whenever they come back on. So he's a talented receiver. He comes from really a solid
pedigree from his college and high school days. I think he's a guy you definitely got to be able to keep honest in this game. He is coming into his own as an NFL receiver. He is just as deadly as Am and Row.
Yeah.
I think he's absolutely right about that, and you can throw with their. Tim Patrick, though, too, has made some places for him.
Can he come from Denver to Tim Patrick?
He did? You mentioned Sam Will And I look at this as a situation for a Marris Luifel or Marvin Overshown to be able to cover. I've been kind of toying with this idea in the last few the last couple of weeks, specifically, when do you start rotating Markue's
bell in for Donovan Wilson, especially on passing downs. I think there's a situation here where you look at it and if you want to send Marius Luifel on a third down blitz, which he has that type of ability, then you need a safety to be able to cover Laporta. Bell's your guy. Bell's your guy that could do that.
He proved to do that last year. I wonder whenever there is a situation when Bell comes in on passing downs and they keep Wilson on the field for running downs, I think that would be more beneficial for this defense.
You know what, I wouldn't be opposed to putting Jordan Lewis on him too.
Seeing that.
Yeah, I mean early in the season Laporta had an ankle or foot injury and it was causing he wasn't running routes down the field.
He's back to running routes down the field now.
And I would not be opposed to if I'm going to get beat by Tim Patrick or somebody like that playing eleven personnel or whatever, so I'm not good enough then if I'm getting but if I you know, if I had to cover, if I had to play out of the slot, you know, I mean, Saint Brown is a pain in the rear, There's no question about that.
But I would maybe mix it up a little bit with the coverage between him and Laporta, with Jordan Lewis and just trying and throw they throw the rhythm off a little bit by the Lions, like, we can't go where they're putting. They're putting their one of their best cover guys on one of our better receivers. And you know that, you know that Lewis will battle him. You know he'll stay with him, He'll battle him, He'll make it a contesting catches and stuff. Laporta doesn't. I don't
think this guys have dropped a ball this year. By the way, I was just sicking. I was curious.
The whole team.
Yeah, the their skill guys. I don't think they have a drop with their skill guys. I mean, and I think that includes the backs. I might be wrong about that, but I was looking at numbers and I was like, going, these guys, don't you're gonna spell check me on this.
I'm looking here. That would be crazy.
I think I saw a deal with well, you watch, if you watch the Seattle game, the guy didn't.
Miss a pass.
Yeah, yeah, that was really I don't.
Think they have a drop this. I don't think that the receivers have a drop on.
The First thing that popped up is the NFC Championship game. Last year. They had four costantly drops in the second half, so maybe that was emphasise this off. Yeah, stat anywhere working on that.
I think I was looking Yeah, I think I was looking at on the next on our next gen stuff, and I was just curious, like, do these guys drop the ball?
Because the quarterback was like.
Eighteen of eighteen in that Seattle game, and I'm like, God, well, I guess I haven't seen any but uh, but yeah, this is It's a I would consider because Laporta is is going to be tough to deal with. But you know, like I say, Jordan Lewis is a tough, tough guy himself. I mean, I sure consider it.
You know, take me back to last year when these two teams matched up. It seems, if my memory serves me correct, Sam Laporta didn't really have It wasn't until closer to the end of the game that he really got going and then he had some big plays for them.
Is that how you guys remember it?
And and how did Dallas necessary Do you remember how maybe Dallas approached that last year with regards to Laporter.
You mentioned just whenever he was able to kind of find his rhythm in that game.
Yeah, I'm saying I'm saying it seemed like most of the game he wasn't really making big plays on Dallas. Towards the end of the game, I think he made a couple of big plays on them. But that being said, I was just wondering if Dallas even last year did they consider using Jordan Lewis. Was Jordan Lewis a part of the equation on how you how you take care of Sam Wilson.
I believe he was. I can't recall specifically, but I will mention just in general what I think worked against Detroit last year and the referees eligibility for sure, Skipper.
I think somebody, oh Skipper was losing his mind, so he was part.
Of all that he won the only one. Dan Campbell was about to come on.
Yeah.
I think what worked in that game last year, that was a game that I expected them to lose by two scores. I think what worked for them in that game is they matched Detroit physicality and it blew my mind because you didn't see it the rest of the season or before that, And I think that's very similar
to what they had to do in this game. You know, I talked about this team needing to be tough, and I think if they can match the physicality of a Detroit Lions team, of a Detroit Lions tight end like Sam Laporta, who does play physically, especially at the point of attack and especially at the catch point as well, you have to be able to line up with him and throw a hand on.
Give me some examples of that.
When you say they matched their physicality, tell me some things that stood out to you, some specific things that stood out to you where you were like, this is what I'm this is what you need to see from this team from the standpoint of the physicality.
Yeah, more so trench work, because that was where I expected them to just get overwhelmed last year. But you look at de Moont Clark, that was a game that I really appreciated from him last season. I mean, dwonk Clark. It looks like he's just a guy you're not going to see on the defensive side too much for the rest of the year with the linebackers that they have on the team right now and kind of how that
snap share has been going around. But if we're talking about last year's game, look at the front, look at de Marcus Lawrence. I mean, he was really active in the run game. So it's really tough that you don't have him in this game with these two running backs, specifically with Jamiir Gibbs, because DeMarcus Lawrence does such a good job against outside zone type running backs. That is what Jamiro Gibbs is. I will say, though, he is
starting to find his rhythm between the tackles. Finally, I think once he really does find his stride there, he's going to be a top three running back in the league. I firmly believe that. But David Montgomery, I mean, he's a guy you have to respect too when it comes to physicality. He's a guy that will take it, go down the hole and he'll lay a pop on you.
And I think with guys like Eric Kendricks Demarvin Overshow shown so much physicality these first few weeks, those are gonna have to be guys that phil run lanes and lay a pop on these guys and make them rotate off the field for a couple of plays, because you saw that happen last year. And then as they're working down the field on drives, guys are having to rotate
out and that's offensively. Defensively, you don't really see that with Detroit in most games, unless they do play a Tampa Bay who can match their physicality with guys like Tristan Wurf's up front. I think he did such a good job. Graham Barton as well. But I think whenever you look at the Cowboys case, specifically, you want Tyler Smith to get after it and get nasty. You want Cooper bb to do that as well. Well, it's gonna be really imperative in this game.
All Right, we're gonna take our final break, we'll come back. I got some names on the Cowboys defense, and I want to get some evaluations from you guys on how you think they've performed in this last game. A lot of them this last game they played more than they've played all season. So I want to figure out how you guys feel like they played in that game and then project what you think that might mean for this week's game. We'll be back Dallas Cowboys dot Com radio.
If you can't be at the stadium, there's no better way to watch your Cowboys than on an LG O led Evo TV. That's because everything you see is more lifelike. Every play, every hit. I mean, you might just will be on the sidelines.
That's how clear it is.
It's all thanks to LG's legendary technology, perfect black over eight point three million self lit pixels.
No one comes close.
LG o led Evo is the best TV in the game for a reason. See for yourself at LG dot com slash o Leedevo.
They say champions are remembered, but legends are never forgotten. United Agen Turf offers a winning lineup John Deere equipment built to tackle any challenge on and off the field. Legendary John Deere Tractors combines residential mowers, commercial mowers, compact construction equipment, cater utility vehicles, and a full line of golf and sports turf equipment. United Agon Turf the official
agonturf equipment supplier of the Dallas Cowboys. Visit United dagonturf dot com to find a location near you.
If you shout how about them Cowboys, you have that undeniable passion that's the heart of Cowboys Nation. And if you like to drink Doctor Pepper, you love the unique blend of its twenty three flavors. Together, you're one of a kind fandom paired with the one of a kind taste of a delicious ice cold Doctor Pepper is the game day lineup that can't be beat better yet. Gather your Cowboys and Doctor Pepper fan friends to watch the next game and crack open a delicious ice cold Doctor
Pepper for everyone. The wins will be even tastier. It's a pepper thing.
And we're going to overtime. Erica, how much have I spent on concessions?
For questions about their money, Dallas Cowboys fans can turn to Erica, the virtual financial assistant in the Bank of America mobile banking app. Learn more at Bankofamerica dot com, slash Erica by your Side. Bank of America Official Bank of the Dallas Cowboys. Erica responses me very digital tools featured required downloading the mobile banking app and may only be available on select mobile devices. Erica is a mobile
feature only available in the English language. Your chap may be recorded and monitored for qualit assurance message data rates. Additional terms may apply. Bank of America and a member FDIC.
Todd thought it would be secure to jog in the cheatah Savannah. Todd believed the big Cat repellent he bought online was reliable, and now Todd is trying to be faster than this cheetah that can run eighty miles per hour. But the good news is Todd has AT and T five gs. It is fast, reliable, and secure, and he learned the best thing to do is stop running and toss her the backpack with the beef stew at and T five G. Fast, reliable, Secure.
Five G requires compatible plan and device five G may not be available in your area. See add dot com slash five G for you for details.
Back to the break.
Changes everything.
Welcome back to the final segment of the break left in this WBC Mortgage studio.
At the Star.
Oh, you're doing work?
Yes, multitasking, multitaskal.
There's no way.
I don't know Spanish, but.
That sounds like something I would say, not being a Spanish Yeah, right, anyway, I don't even know.
I don't even know how you would say that multi tasking. Let's ask Google real quick.
No, that doesn't sound right.
That doesn't sound right. That sounds more fake.
Yeah, I don't know anyway.
Welcome back, final segment of the break laught mess WBC Mortgage Studios.
At the Star.
Okay, so have some names for you guys, these are all defensive players. Oh yeah, real quick, real quick.
Yeah, I went back and looked at Sam laport by the nearest defender. In last year's game, Marquis Spell carried in for two snaps, two targets, two receptions thirty two yards. Javon Curse had him for three, three targets, three receptions. So against your safeties, he was he was five for five.
Well, let's make a distinctly bell as a linebacker.
Yeah. Yeah, they called him a taftyar.
Donovan Wilson had him for three and he only had one reception for fifteen yards. Shooting well, Clark was one for one. He had eight yards on that catch. Stefan Gilmore, oh for two. Gilmore took put a corner on it.
Put a corner. How about this Bland?
Oh for one?
There you go, and they put the corners on him. He went oh for three.
Something that they do like to do with little Porta is they like to isolate him on one side of the ball. But they'll like put him in the slot. Yeah, and they'll have like three receivers to left right. They'll isolate him on the side with like a Gilmour or a bland type of corner I'm talking about. Like with other teams, he's able to beat them a little bit better. Yeah, because he has he has some wiggle.
He does.
He's a really talented This is a bunch formation team too. They'll get you real tight in there and stuff, and so gotta be ready for that. But it looked like the corners. Actually maybe maybe maybe we're onto something here.
Maybe that's your answer.
Maybe I need to tell Mike k Mike listened last year and they put corners on this dude and they didn't have a catchy man.
All right, they listen, They listened, Hi, Mike, they listen.
All right, let's let's talk here. I got here's some names for you.
I've got some defensive players, and I want you guys to tell me, give me some evaluations on what you saw from this last game and what you project that to be going forward. Let's start first with Carl Lawson defenceman.
I think when you look at his h his ability to pass the rush or past the past the rusher, rush the passer. He does passed the rusher a lot. He does, he does, he does, he does. But I think, uh, I think there is an ability that he can kind of unlock a little bit more, and it may just be a product of him missing the majority of camp, coming in late and then you know, obviously not really finding his footing just yet. But I think there is another level that he could take. He's on the active
roster now. I would assume with the with the way he's been playing overall, then there's probably a way to keep him on the active roster even when Parsons and Lawrence come back. Yeah, but I think overall, you're wanting a little bit more from Lawson. I think when I look at all three of these defensive ends in general, I don't want to get to ahead of ahead of ahead of you. Here, Golston's been the one that I've appreciated.
We'll get Like what you said, Agent.
I mean the way he watched him last game, Golston, I mean the way he played and the way he just is so aggressive and powerful and just goes for it.
Uh, He's great.
I love him, Lawson. It's just kind of like with the rest of everybody else in that position, you just want to see more from him. But I think for what is being asked, given the scenario that he's being placed in he's been okay. Like he I see him more of like your band aid type of guy that he serves as a body and a presence that is there in the absence of these other guys that are not being there right now due to injury.
Yeah, it's band Aid's like an amputation that we're trying to.
The throat.
You feel that way when position it feels it feels like it feels like I've lost my arm and it's just blood is and like, here's Carl Lawson.
Standing there going he's trying to as blood's scoring. Even a tournique, it ain't working. This is some blood loss. The thing with loss in the next we've talked about.
The schedule ahead, there's the you know, this game forty nine ers, it's not going to get easier, I mean, and the games that he's going to have to play, he's going to have to. If you can, somehow, some way get Carl lost into five years ago, that would be awesome. You're probably not going to get that, But
don't be the guy that's a liability out there. You know, if you can play the run, if you get off a block, if you get occasional pressure too, I'm not asking to get two three sacks a game or anything like that. I'm just asking you come up with a pressure to play some run defense. Don't jump off sides when it's third down and they throw the ball and you intercepted and now you're now you know they get
a free play. You know, play with some discipline, be a veteran, be a leader, do what you have to do to keep your job on the fifty three when everybody starts to come back.
I will say his first two elevations that he had ahead of the Pittsburgh game, you saw him trying to play a little bit more of that hero ball. And when that was mentioned in the locker room, he wasn't the first guy that I thought, But when I went back on tape, he was one of the guys that you could probably look at on a few plays and be like, Okay, he's trying to do a little bit too much, maybe not knowing what's going on. SI man, he's leaving some guys out to dry, especially in the
second level. You didn't see that as much at Pittsburgh. He's really starting to play with the unit. Now, well he's got to figure it out as well. I mean from locker room interactions to just kind of seeing them when I was with you guys just around the building and whatnot. He didn't really talk to anybody for a long time while he was here. After the game in Pittsburgh, him, Chauncey GOLs and tyres Wee, they were inseparable and they were in the locker room. They were chopping it up.
They were laughing about how Carlawston somehow got attributed with the half sack. They were like, you didn't deserve that, but they were laughing back and forth about it. It was the first time I've seen Carlawston really integrate with any of these guys since he's been here. I think that's you talk about locker room stuff. That is big, especially with those guys right now, because those three guys really have to come together and they can't. They can't
isolate either one. They can't try to play hero ball. They have to play together as a unit or it will not work until they get Parsons and Lawrence back.
Yeah, I'll give my GELTT shout out to my guy Alex Lily on Sounds of the Sideline, same thing he captured them on the.
Sideline talking about that. Yeah, he sent it out.
We sent it out this morning. But it was a good, good video as usual. But they were talking about the same thing at that time and kind of joking around like I don't know half sack. I don't know he was already down whatever.
But yeah, it was good.
It was that Carlawston ended up did getting the half sack and they're like, oh whatever, Yeah it was.
But it's true though.
I mean, I think I think a lot of times when you go to a new teams people don't necessarily think about that integrating into a locker room with fifty three guys when you're from from outside and these guys have been around each other, they know each other, a lot of them been around each other for years.
He didn't know anybody.
Yeah, sometimes breaking into that can be a little difficult, especially if you're not playing. And so I do think him actually playing on the field gives them that that opportunity to bond. And you talked about the three guys that primarily were playing defensive end for you last weekend, and that that becomes a bonding point. You go through adversity with somebody, that becomes a bonding point. So hopefully that that continues and their chemistry continues to grow.
As a part of that as well.
Talk to me about Mazzie Smith. What you guys see from Ozzie Smith last week, right.
It was much. I think he was better against the Giants.
I still feel like, though the effort is really good, his pad level gets him in trouble at times. And it's not I don't think it's because of conditioning and things like that. I think he just forgets to play with ben de knees and fire off the ball and control blockers. Did a great job against the Giants doing that. Played low, played square, played where he I mean this one he it wasn't getting late, it was just he
gets too high at times. He gets a little he gets in and instead of staying down, he plays up and then it allows to catch him. And you know, here was a team that was not going to get any blockers up on the second level. So he was fighting double team blocks really the whole day. But he was too high a couple of different times. He got to play a better knee bend, got to do a better job of getting rid of guys and playing with power. He'll have his hands full this weekend with you now,
if Glass now is the center. That's a little bit different story. Rag now will snatch you and you know you've got to be ready for that. But he's got to play with better bend at knees in these games.
I agree with your point on him being better versus the Giants. Again, that was a career game for him. I think something that helped him against Pittsburgh that I think could be a trend as you look forward into the season, Limball Joseph helped him out a lot more. And the since that he rotated on the field, he was pushing some guys on their butt and Limball Joseph had his best game is now with Cowboys like he was in shape.
But my hope is that now that's where he's getting like he's a good player. We all thought he was a good player when they signed him. He just had to get there because he didn't do training camp.
And I think when you look at Mazzie Smith's case, whenever you get put on your butt and then you have a really athletic type of one tech because he's he's not an athletic person, but when you factor in that he is what he is at nose tackle, he is an athletic being and whenever you have to account for that after getting put on your butt, it's difficult. And you saw some of those snaps where he would rotate on for the first couple of snaps and he
would be able to beat some guys. He would able to be able to slide over, you know, reach around and be able to grab some running lanes. I think that that was really big limbal Joseph being able whenever he did rotate in, it wasn't pedestrian work, it was it was Mazzie Smith was able to rotate back in with these guys still reeling, that really hasn't been the case these first four weeks.
Right well, I think, why am I this way? I don't understand, but I I think with him, my bar is set so low that right now it's not right now like I feel positive about him, you know, like I'm like, Okay, that's two games in a row where
he's showing progress. And more importantly for me, this thing, the mental part of it, where he's willing to keep fighting and he's willing to stay in there because we know how last year was and we talked about this over and over during training camp, just kind of the the verbal beat down that he was receiving from his coach, and that can really mess you up mentally, and you don't know, like you know, A'm I even made out for this. It can mess you up in that way.
But I like his tenacity and wanting to just keep fighting, and just now you're trying to get a little bit more of consistency from him. Is not fully there, but you're starting to see moments of it where it's positive plays here and there. Yeah, exactly, so imp but again my virus said, like all the way down here, but he so I'm feeling okay with him obviously year two. For a guy like that where you picked him in the draft, you want to see a lot more from him, but hopefully he'll get there.
I had an off the record conversation with Jonathan Hankins in the locker room last year, and I won't share anything from that conversation because it was off the record, but one could because he was when people do that, because it was a point out, some point that he made that is always stuck in my head with Mazzie Smith, and if if I didn't have this point in my head, I probably would have gave up completely on Mozzie Smith after last season, and after a couple of weeks in
training camp too, because I just didn't see it even after we were an Oxnard for a little bit, but he said, He's like, hey, I respect you, but the nose tackle position, no one really understands how hard it is to come into this league and play nose tackle early in your career and succeed at it. He's like, there's not a lot of guys that do that. Aaron Donald's done that. There's been a slow handful. He's like,
go back and look at me. When I was first starting my first two three years, it was the worst football played in my career, including college. And then he we look up and he's fourteen years in a league or however long it's been. So I've always factored that in because he's right, I don't know what it takes to be able to play at the nose tackle position,
and so I've kind of factor that in. And now as he's starting to put these good games together, that conversation is really starting to key back into my brain like he may have been onto something there and it may may be coming along a little bit quicker for Mazie than it did for Handkins. And if that's the case, that's a beautiful scenario for the Cowboys.
That's a great story because it does it does give you some perspective from someone who has that to do it. And now that we look at him, we say he's been a he's had a really good career for defensive tackle in the NFL one technique and so, uh yeah, that's that's good perspective.
All right, Appreciate you guys. You know, we'll be back tomorrow.
We'll drive dive into the defense for the Detroit Lions versus the Cowboys offense till then for Nick Carris.
Brian brought us in Abergarci.
I'm Derek Eagleton has been The Break Live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
This has been a production of Dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.